This report was prepared by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE), led by Lamia Kamal-Chaoui (Director), under the aegis of the OECD Committee on SMEs and Entrepreneurship (CSMEE). The report is the outcome of a project undertaken by the OECD CFE in close collaboration with Portugal’s Ministry of Economy (General Directorate for Economic Activities, Direção-Geral das Atividades Económicas, DGAE) and with financial support from the European Commission’s Reform and Investment Task Force (SG REFORM), as part of the 2023 Technical Support Instrument Cycle.
Marco Marchese (Policy Analyst, CFE) coordinated the project and provided oversight of the individual chapters. Lucia Cusmano (Head of Division, CFE) offered overall guidance and supervision throughout the project. Nadim Ahmad (Deputy Director, CFE) provided comments on earlier versions of the report.
The main authors of the report are as follows:
Chapter 1 (Assessment and recommendations): Marco Marchese.
Chapter 2 (Portuguese SMEs and the green transition: Attitudes and actions): Elise Johannessen (Policy Analyst, CFE) and Jan-Philipp Schmidt (Policy Analyst, CFE).
Chapter 3 (Financing the green transition of SMEs in Portugal): Marija Kuzmanovic (Policy Analyst, CFE) and Claire Hanrahan (Policy Analyst, CFE)
Chapter 4 (Green skills development and green technology adoption in Portuguese SMEs): Maria Sobron Bernal (Policy Analyst, CFE)
Chapter 5 (Energy programmes for industrial SMEs in Portugal): Patrick Thollander (Linköping University) and Marco Marchese.
Chapter 6 (Direct public support for green start-ups in Portugal): David Halabisky (Programme coordinator, CFE)
Chapter 7 (Green entrepreneurship ecosystems in Portugal): David Halabisky.
The preparation of the report involved desk research and two fact-finding missions in Lisbon and would not have been possible without the support and active engagement of DGAE at Portugal’s Ministry of Economy. Notably, Marta Basto (Deputy Director General), Anabela Silva (Director for Business Policy), Ana Costa Paula (Head of Division), Mafalda Gaspar (Head of Division), João Parra da Silva (Senior Officer) and Ana Ferreira (Senior Officer) contributed to the design and implementation of the project, including stakeholder engagement, and provided comments on earlier drafts of the report.
The OECD also appreciates the participation in meetings and the comments received from different ministries, national agencies and other Portuguese stakeholders, including the Ministry of Economy (Office for Strategy and Studies), the Ministry of the Presidency (Coordinating Unit of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan), the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action (Directorate-General for Energy and Geology), the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (Science and Technology Foundation), the Ministry of Solidarity, Employment and Social Security (Cabinet for Strategy and Planning), the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank (Banco de Portugal), the National Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (IAPMEI), the Public Development Bank (Banco Português de Fomento), the National Environmental Agency (APA), the National Innovation Agency (ANI), the National Agency for Development and Cohesion (AD&C), the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), the National Energy Agency (ADENE), the National Energy Network (REN), the Energy Services Regulator (ERSE), EDP Ventures, Start-up Portugal, the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Association (ATP), the Portuguese Association of the Plastics Industry (APIP), the Technology Centres for the Textile and Clothing Industries (CITEVE), Leather Industries (CITIC) and Mould, Special Tools and Plastics Industry (CENTIMFE), the Polymer Engineering Innovation Hub (PIEP), the National Employer Confederation (CIP), Casa do Impacto (business incubator), Nova University, the European Investment Bank (Portugal’s branch office), the Portuguese Banking Association, four commercial banks (Crédito Agrícola, BCP, Novo Banco, BPI), and two mutual guarantee societies (Lisgarante and Garval).
Thanks are also due to Ricardo Arroja (independent consultant) for his background report on Portugal’s environmental taxation and regulations.
Heather Mortimer-Charoy and Juan Mendez (CFE) provided project and administrative assistance and prepared the report for publication.